Disaster. Worst decision of my life...

Hi Kittycatty,

I had my surgery over 10 years ago.  Scheduled to have Lap RNY, insisted I didn't want open as I feared infections.  My surgery was supposed to be around 2 hours.  My surgeon would stable my stomach and do a leak test and the staples would not hold.  After 10 hours of leaking I woke up in ICU with a ventilator. Try crying when on a ventilator.  I stayed in the hospital for 3 days.  

When I had my 2 week check up it was red all around my incision. It was infected and he opened me up. Hysterical does not fit what I was feeling.  I am not going to go into the details of the nightmare it was to care for a huge hole in your abdomen for 3 months.  Every day I regretted the surgery and said what the hell did I do to myself. Being fat was not all that bad, not this bad. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!

Fast forward to today and the surgery saved my life and I would go through it again!!!!!!!  It's bad right now and it's hard for you to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Take it one day at a time and it will get better.

Hugs!

  This stinks. You are right though a positive attitude will take you far. When we are in a difficult situation we need to take it one day/one moment at a time... and try to find some good/joy in the day. Laughter is good too, put on some old funny TV shows you like or a funny movie... :)

first of all, it is normal to be depressed in the weeks after surgery-even if it went well. There is so much healing, expelling of hormones...so much going on.

I had a great surgery. Was back to work in 2 weeks(RNY) but then the trouble started. I started having pain on the OTHER side of my body the day I was supposed to go back...just a twinge but definitely uncomfortable. By the second day back I had to call the doctor. He said it sounded like i was having fluid build up and it was uncomfortable but would go away. Thursday I called him and was in so much pain I told him if it was fluid and I was going to have to tough it out I needed more meds. He called for an emergency ultrasound that Friday. They could barely touch me with the wand, someone had to help me roll over and hold me.

Doctor said there were no openings that day and ,while painful, it was my gallbladder and they would get me scheduled. Went in on monday to get my FMLA paperwork and asked about my surgery date. They said they werent sure and it may be the following week. I broke down and started to cry. At this point, I was barely functioning, was on hydrocodone every 4 hours and it was barely touching the pain. I told them this was not gall bladder. They called me just after I left and scheduled me for an early surgery(before they usually started) on Thursday.

Go in thursday to the outpatient section(gallbladder right?). the nurse blows through my vain MULTIPLE times. When I wake up from surgery I found out I had a severely abcessed liver(!!!!) which can lead to death. I had an external drain for 8 days that we had to empty(EEEWWWWW). I could barely move for 4 days, every time I did where they had put the drain became a "ring of fire" and I thought I would die. It has been 1 month and 4 days since that surgery and I am still having pain.

BUT I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I am losing weight. I am not tolerating dense proteins well but am hitting my protein count in other ways. Work your program! Use your tool even when it seems like it isnt working. Your body had been through a lot so let it catch up to the great things that are going to happen. My doctor told me to consider myself at square one when I was done with the other surgery and so I havent been beating myself up too much.

I am still taking 6 pills a day, I can only eat at certain times because of limitations on one of my drugs. Sometimes I miss those times and end up not getting to eat all day. BUT I am making it, I am learning to maximize my tool. I have lost over 45 pounds IN SPITE of my second surgery. You can do it....I promise. This can be done.

You've gotten good responses. I have a health thing to add. C-diff is NOT killed by hand sanitizer. The alcohol soap does not kill the bug. You have to use soap and water. Make people sing happy birthday twice while washing.

Hope you heal fast. Vanco by mouth is a B**** to take. I hope you have some anti nausea meds. If not..check with MD.

Deb T.

Oh no! 

I didn't have any wound infections, thank heavens,  but I contracted c diff in the hospital and it was horrifying!  I didn't have a normal BM for over 2 weeks, and when I did I was shouting and celebrating like a crazy woman.  But that was nothing compared to the Vanco.  Oh. My. God.  I wanted to cry, I really did, every time I had to take one of those.  

But I did recover.  Once the c diff passed I felt like I turned a corner, but it took me until week 3 before I started to feel a normal energy level start to return.  I think I was still taking daily naps until week 4.  But I did turn the corner.  I'm down a little over 40 pounds now at just over 7 weeks out.  

I know you're having a rough start but stay with us here, and try to keep your chin up. Focus on your health, and healing.  You did make the right decision, you too will turn the corner, and you will achieve what you set out to achieve. Believe it.  

Best wishes for your continued recovery.

Christine

You will pull through this and it's ok to feel regret.  All of this will pass. Congratulations on your surgery and keep your chin up. I have had my share of pretty serious complications.  We get through them. Rest and let your body heal. You will feel like crap for a short time compared to how good your will feel for the rest of your life!! 

I've had both c-diff and an infected incision but not at the same time.  Each one is horrible but together, well I really don't want to imagine it. I'm sorry you've had to go through this and hopefully once this has passed you will be on the road to healing and enjoying the smaller person you will become.  I've had a lot of regrets after this surgery but certainly nothing close that compares to yours.  Best of luck to you.  There was another person who posted recently about how she/he went in for the sleeve, had a leak which her dr couldn't find and then finally got transferred to another hospital and ended up with the bypass, which she didn't want.  She is very discouraged at this time too.    Stick around, eventually you will be the one telling people that it does get better. :)

Wow, I'm sorry that you're having such a rough time.  You can get through this! 

Kittycat...you entered total hospital hell!  WLS pts are not the only ones exposed to these dreaded infections.  Focus on healing from the disaster, commonly known as nosicomial infection...means acquired in hospital.

Your wt loss journey will just be delayed.  But it will happen.  Prayers going for you

I'm so sorry you are having problems. I hope things turn around for you soon.